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Hero Anon: Chapter 1 (Welcome to Equestria)

By: Bastinator on Jul 25th, 2012  |  syntax: None  |  size: 18.27 KB  |  hits: 867  |  expires: Never
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  1. >Fucking hell your head hurts.
  2. >”Stay still, pain is to be expected.”
  3. “Ugh, my head…”
  4. >”You’ve come quite a ways. Just try and stay calm.”
  5. “W- What happened to me? I was- sitting on my couch- and there was a light.”
  6. >”We can explain everything in time. Please rest.”
  7. >You can’t rest. It’s not in your nature to do nothing.
  8. >”What is your name?”
  9. >You struggle to your feet.
  10. “Anon.”
  11.  
  12. >”Hydra’s Piss!”
  13. >”Silence!”
  14. >There’s more than one of them.
  15. >You’re slowly getting your vision back.
  16. >”You really should sit down.”
  17. >She rests a hoof on your chest and-
  18. “Hoof?”
  19. >”Oh my… please stay calm.”
  20. >You step back and rub your eyes.
  21. “You’re a- pony?!”
  22.  
  23. >She’s a bit smaller than you and a vibrant pink.
  24. >She also has a pair of wings and a horn on her head.
  25. “Pegasus? Unicorn? Where the fuck am I?!”
  26. >”Please remain calm.”
  27. “How the hell can I remain calm when I get kidnapped by a fucking mystical creature?!”
  28. >It’s not just her either, there’s a dozen other unicorns and pegasi about.
  29. >”My name is Cadence, I wish we could’ve met in better circumstances.
  30. “You think?”
  31. >”I will explain everything in time, just let me.”
  32. >Okay Anon, calm your dick down.
  33. “Fine…”
  34.  
  35. >She leads you off of some kind of altar, the guards keeping a close eye on you.
  36. “Exactly why am I here?”
  37. >”We brought you here.”
  38. “So you did this? Why?”
  39. >”Because Equestria needs a hero right now, and you’re it.”
  40. >Hero? That’s just rich, what are they going to think of next.
  41. >”This is no laughing matter. Things have gone to Tartarus and back.”
  42. “Don’t mean to disappoint you, but I’m not a hero. I was barely an athlete.”
  43. >”A hero transcends the physical, Anon. We know this well.”
  44. >The two of you enter a great hall, pictures etched into the stone walls.
  45. >”You are not the first to come.”
  46.  
  47. >”When the Griffon tribes united against us, a hero rose to fight them.”
  48. >”When the Dragon Migration threatened our existence, a hero rose to sway them.”
  49. >”When the Gates of Tartarus broke open, a hero rose to send them back.”
  50. >She turns to the last picture at the end of the hall.
  51. >”When chaos tore its way across the land, a hero rose to bring peace. You are that hero.”
  52. “You may not know this, but I’m not exactly from around here.”
  53. >”Neither were they.”
  54. >She places her hoof on the wall.
  55. >”They were like you, human.”
  56. “Bullshit.”
  57.  
  58. “I’m a nobody, literally. It’s in my god damn name.”
  59. >”You’re the hero Equestria needs. Please…”
  60. “I’m sorry, but I can’t.”
  61. >She bows her head in defeat.
  62. >”Then he has won.”
  63. >A minotaur bursts through the doors wielding a giant axe.
  64. >Thank god you said no.
  65. >”Iron Will, what’s wrong?”
  66. >”The gate’s have been breached. He’s coming here, now.”
  67. >”Not this soon, we aren’t ready yet.”
  68. “What’s not ready?”
  69.  
  70. >”Take him, get him and as many others out as you can.”
  71. >”Understood Princess.”
  72. >Cadence escorts you back to the main chamber.
  73. “Princess? Something you want to tell me?”
  74. >”I am royalty no longer. Not since he arose.”
  75. “He?”
  76. >”The god of Chaos… Discord.”
  77. >The doors to the chamber throb as they block the oncoming horde.
  78. >”I promised to give you an explanation as to why you’re here, but for now I need you to follow Iron Will.”
  79. “This conversation isn’t over.”
  80.  
  81. >The minotaur grabs you by the collar and drags you back.
  82. >”It is for you boy.”
  83. >Your struggles are useless against him.
  84. >”When things are at their darkest, do not give in to temptation.”
  85. “What does that even mean?”
  86. >”It means you’ll figure it out later when the plot needs you to.”
  87. “Did you just-“
  88. >”Shut up.”
  89. >Iron Will grinds open a hidden tunnel, a line of ponies swarming inside.
  90. >”It’s been an honor Ma’am.”
  91. >”Keep him safe.”
  92.  
  93. >He nods, the last of the ponies through.
  94. >He replaces the stone wall, blocking you off from Cadence.
  95. >Wood shatters from the main room, a familiar hiss cutting through the air.
  96. >”Ripley, down girl.”
  97. >That must be Discord. You can hear the evil within him.
  98. >”Cadence my dear, such an honor to finally meet you.”
  99. >”Do not think you can sway me like the others.”
  100. >”If I wanted to, you’d be kissing my feet like a good little slave, but I’m in a good mood today. Your little resistance has finally come to an end.”
  101. >She chuckles, “You are too late, he has already returned.”
  102. >”And you think some hero can stop me? Didn’t you learn anything from before?”
  103.  
  104. >”If you think you have a chance against me hero, think again. This is not my first rodeo.”
  105. >You listen at the wall, Iron Will waiting for you.
  106. >”I think it’s time you met an old friend.”
  107. >Cadence screams in agony.
  108. >”You hear that hero? You’re next.”
  109. >”Stop! I’m begging you!”
  110. >You can hear the smugness in his voice, “Ok…”
  111. >A sickening crack rings out, followed by a heavy thud.
  112. >”Twilight tear this castle about until you find that man, and bring me the prisoners, I want them alive!”
  113.  
  114. >Iron Will pulls you away and down the corridor.
  115. >She stayed back… she could’ve betrayed you to him.
  116. >But she didn’t. She was the better man, manlier than you.
  117. >You follow the group through the caverns eventually finding the way out.
  118. >The cold air chills your body, but it’s nothing you haven’t felt before.
  119. “Where are we?”
  120. >”The Shoh mountains, our last home.”
  121. >Snow drifts down from the sky, coating the brute with a small white layer.
  122. >”We are broken.”
  123.  
  124. >This is all that’s left of them.
  125. >A group of around thirty, cast out from their home.
  126. >You get a good look at where you were, the castle ablaze in an inferno.
  127. >An army stretches out from the gates, a sea of evil and death.
  128. >And you’re supposed to stop that?
  129. >Fucking hell, you’re beyond screwed.
  130. >Your group makes camp for the night.
  131. >You sit by the fire, shivering as the ice begins to wear on you.
  132. >A blanket is wrapped around your shoulders.
  133. >”Thought you could use this.”
  134.  
  135. >A unicorn sits next to you, her mane white as snow, with the snow atop snow.
  136. >Snowception.
  137. “Thanks.”
  138. >She smiles and holds her hooves in front of the fire.
  139. >The fire shimmers against her shades, her cobalt hair swaying slightly.
  140. >”So you’re the big hero we were expecting…”
  141. “You could say that.”
  142. >You. A Hero. A pipe dream at its finest.
  143. “How long have you been at war? It can’t have been easy.”
  144. >”Two and half years if I recall, not that it matters anymore.”
  145. >You can’t even comprehend fighting for that long. It doesn’t seem possible.
  146.  
  147. “Where to next?”
  148. >”There is no next. We left our last home behind. For now, we run and we survive.”
  149. “That’s no way to live.”
  150. >”Nop0ny said it was living.”
  151. >You slip into an uncomfortable silence between the two of you.
  152. >You pull the blanket around her as well.
  153. “My name’s Anon.”
  154. >”Vinyl.”
  155. >The two of you watch the fire burn away.
  156. “Nice to meet you Vinyl.”
  157.  
  158. >You wake up on the ground next to Vinyl.
  159. >A good night’s sleep is supposed to get rid of your problems.
  160. >Whoever said that was a liar.
  161. >You wrap the blanket around her and walk around camp.
  162. >Most of the ponies are still asleep, though a few are attending to their effects.
  163. >They look up at you with hazy eyes.
  164. >They’ve gone for so long fighting a losing battle.
  165. >They’re tired of fighting. They just want it to end.
  166. >A sizzling sound flutters to you, drawing you in.
  167. >Nothing smells quite as good as bacon in the morning.
  168.  
  169. >You find Iron Will sitting at the edge of camp, holding a skillet over his own fire.
  170. >He’s cooking some eggs and bacon. Delicious.
  171. “Mind if I join you?”
  172. >”Not at all.”
  173. >You clear a spot of snow and sit beside him.
  174. >”Care for some breakfast?”
  175. “Never turn down bacon.”
  176. >He laughs a little, slipping you a few slices.
  177. “Thankya kindly.”
  178. >”We’re in this together. To the End.”
  179.  
  180. >”Tell me a little about yourself.”
  181. “Nothing much to tell. Just a regular guy, making his way through life.”
  182. >”Any family?”
  183. “Nah, they passed by the time I got out of College, and I haven’t seen my brother in ages.”
  184. >”Sorry to hear that.”
  185. “Don’t worry about it. It’s all in the past now.”
  186. >You savor your meal, knowing the picking are going to get scarce.
  187. >Out of all the people in your world, they picked you.
  188. >Not a soldier, or a politician, or a doctor.
  189. >A run of the mill guy.
  190. >Why?
  191.  
  192. >Iron Will slurps down his eggs, getting on his hooves.
  193. >”We got a long day ahead of us.”
  194. >He whistles, one of the stallions approaching fast.
  195. >”Yes sir?”
  196. >”Get everyone ready to move. We can’t afford to be sitting around.”
  197. >”Aye aye.”
  198. >He rushes off, stirring up the rest of your group.
  199. “We have a place in mind?”
  200. >”We’re going to regroup with one of our scouting parties that was caught outside when they struck.”
  201. “Strength in numbers right?”
  202. >”I’d rather us be together.”
  203.  
  204. >He lifts his axe over his shoulder and looks outwards.
  205. >”Let’s get moving. We’re burning daylight.”
  206. >Your group moves through the icy wastes.
  207. >You stay up front with Iron Will, helping him clear a path forwards.
  208. “So what exactly are we up against here? Dragons? Hydras?”
  209. >”Kid, I’ve been fighting this war since the start and I still can’t answer that question.”
  210. “How can you not know?”
  211. >He sighs, his voice tired.
  212. >”I’ve seen all of what Equestria has to offer, and they’re not it.”
  213.  
  214. “So they don’t exist in this world.”
  215. >”You got it.”
  216. >So you’re fighting things they haven’t even seen before.
  217. >Iron Will stops, eying the peak of a nearby hill.
  218. >”Something’s wrong.”
  219. >He looks back to the group.
  220. >”Prepare for battle.”
  221. “There’s no one there, you’re just overreacting.”
  222. >”Let’s go.”
  223.  
  224. >He charges up through the thickened snow and up the hill.
  225. >You can hear the clanging of steel as you get closer.
  226. >Fuck he was right.
  227. >You get to the top and overlook the battle field.
  228. >You’ve got ponies on one side and… that can’t be right.
  229. >“Charge!”
  230. >You’re left stunned as your group advances into the fray.
  231. >They- They don’t exist. It’s not real.
  232. >”You coming or what?”
  233. >Vinyl pushes you downhill and into the war zone.
  234.  
  235. >A rush of heat hits you as the battle turns into a cluster-fuck.
  236. >You can’t fight them. This is just…
  237. >”Look out!”
  238. >Vinyl pierces on of the creatures with her horn.
  239. >It collapses, Vinyl beating it to a pulp.
  240. “It’s not real…”
  241. >”Better start believing, cause they know you are.”
  242. >You reach into your pocket, finding your knife still there.
  243. >You flip it open, standing back to back with Vinyl.
  244.  
  245. >One of the creatures lunges at you.
  246. >You meet it with a knife to the neck.
  247. >It gurgles as its blood oozes from its neck.
  248. >You kick out its front legs and curbstomp that bitch.
  249. >You stab it repeatedly in the skull, its blood spraying onto your face.
  250. “Die you piece of shit!”
  251. >You stab it in the eye socket, a few sparks shooting out.
  252. >You breathe deeply and lean back.
  253. “Fucking husks.”
  254.  
  255. >Adrenaline pumps through your veins.
  256. >”Good job with that one.”
  257. >But there’s more.
  258. >You tackle a second husk landing on its back.
  259. >You punch at its ribs, neck, skull, legs.
  260. >Whatever you can.
  261. >This thing doesn’t exist for a reason.
  262. >Vinyl rushes over and breaks its spine with one buck.
  263. >”You need to work on your form.”
  264.  
  265. >You want this to end.
  266. >A deep metallic groan escapes from the crowd.
  267. >You know what that is as well.
  268. >”Show them that you rock!”
  269. >You push your way over to Iron Will, standing face to face with a Black Knight.
  270. >Your mind is so full of fuck right now.
  271. >He lunges forward, striking it dead in the chestplate.
  272. >The creature roars in pain, smacking him away with one hand.
  273. >Fuck fuck fuck!
  274. >It pulls the axe out of its chest, twirling it around with ease.
  275.  
  276. >You charge forward, the Knight’s axe raised. *clunk*
  277. >You fall back on the ground, stars spinning around your head.
  278. >The Knight looks at you, freezing.
  279. >”Target Acquired.”
  280. >He drops the axe, picking you up by the throat.
  281. >”Hero…”
  282. >You lay limp at his mercy.
  283. >”Return to base.”
  284. >He turns around, Iron Will picking up his axe.
  285. >”Forget something?”
  286.  
  287. >He plunges the axe into the knight’s back.
  288. >You fall to the floor as the knight wails.
  289. >Its body disintegrates into ash, floating away.
  290. >The axe however, keeps going, landing between your legs.
  291. >Inches from your junk.
  292. >You look up at the minotaur.
  293. “The fuck man? You trying to kill me?”
  294. >”Not yet anyways.”
  295. >He drags the axe backwards, slicing another husk in half.
  296. >He gets you back to your feet, though you’re still disoriented.
  297.  
  298. >With the Knight gone, the husks aren’t much of a threat.
  299. >The group dispatches them one by one.
  300. >You take a rain check while Iron Will protects you.
  301. >That bump to the head really took it out of you.
  302. >The last of them scurry off past the horizon.
  303. >”Status report.”
  304. >Vinyl gets back to you two.
  305. >”Three casualties, seven wounded.”
  306. >”And the others?”
  307.  
  308. >A pegasus lands beside her.
  309. >”No casualties, though we’ve all taken some hits.”
  310. >Iron Will nods, “Good to see you still kicking Soarin.”
  311. >”Likewise big guy.”
  312. >He looks at you warily.
  313. >”Who’s the new recruit?”
  314. >”He’s our last hope,” Iron Will replies.
  315. >”So the ritual worked? This is great news, we may be able to turn things around.”
  316. >He extends a hoof, “The name’s Soarin, Captain of the Wonderbolts.”
  317. “Anon, pleased to-“
  318.  
  319. >”Anon.”
  320. >He pulls his hoof away looking to Iron Will.
  321. >”You playing a joke on me or what?”
  322. >”It’s no joke.”
  323. >He grunts and rolls his eyes.
  324. “Was it something I said?”
  325. >”You better be worth it.”
  326. >He looks back to Iron Will.
  327. >”Keep the guy at bay, or I will.”
  328. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
  329.  
  330. >Soarin trots away, only angering you further.
  331. “I said, what the fuck is that supposed to mean!?”
  332. >He bucks you as you try to follow, sending you on your rear.
  333. >”Maybe you should put him on a leash?”
  334. “Fuck you!”
  335. >You stand up and dust yourself off, swatting Iron Will’s hand away.
  336. >Vinyl pulls you away from him.
  337. “I’m going to kill him.”
  338. >”I think you need to calm down.”
  339. >You’re as fucking calm as you can be right now.
  340.  
  341. “How do you expect me to react? Huh?! I was stolen away from my fucking home for a fight I don’t have a god damn stake in!”
  342. >”Anon please-“ Iron Will starts to speak.
  343. “No. I had a life, I had dreams and aspirations. And then you guys just said ‘NOPE! Chuck fucking Testa.’ You have RUINED my life.”
  344. >You kick one of the corpses next to you.
  345. “And don’t even get me started on these fucking guys! You metallic husk pieces of shit.”
  346. >You pound the lifeless body with your shoe, only serving to tire you out.
  347. >”So… you know what these things are?”
  348.  
  349. “Yeah I do,” you kick the husk in the skull, “These things are called husks. Basic infantry type units, weak as fuck.”
  350. >”Do you know how to fight them?”
  351. “I know how to pull the right trigger on my controller. This thing isn’t supposed to be fucking real.”
  352. >It’s from a video game for god’s sake.
  353. >”I don’t follow.”
  354. “This thing doesn’t exist. It’s an idea, a fucking thought. This place entire place is one shitty nightmare.”
  355. >Kicking the body one last time you storm off through the blooded battlefield.
  356.  
  357. >A frozen stream lies before you.
  358. >You sit down and place your head in your hands.
  359. >This seriously can’t be happening to you.
  360. >You pick up a small stone and roll it in your hand.
  361. >”Care if I sat next to you?”
  362. “Kind of.”
  363. >She sits regardless, “Good view you have here.”
  364. “Shame the smell ruins the occasion.”
  365. >You toss the stone onto the frozen water.
  366.  
  367. >”I know how you must feel.”
  368. “No, you really, really don’t.”
  369. >She lowers her shades, her dazzling red eyes shimmering.
  370. >”Fair enough, but I do know what it’s like to lose a home.”
  371. >She bows her head, “When the mane 6 fell, so did our hopes at salvation. Chaos spread like a plague, my home, Canterlot, was at the center.”
  372. “How did you escape?”
  373. >”I didn’t. I was in Ponyville at the time, one of the lucky ones I’ve been told.”
  374. “No one is lucky in war.”
  375. >”Only the dead can truly find peace.”
  376.  
  377. >”I know you don’t have a stake in this fight, but we do. Every day that passes, more of us fall to that tyrant who calls himself our leader. We need a hero, and you’re the closest thing we’ve got left.”
  378. “And what if I can’t win? What if I can’t beat Discord?”
  379. >She cocks her head, “Discord?”
  380. “The tyrant. The guy who I’m supposed to stop. That’s his name right?”
  381. >”Discord’s been dead for years. Didn’t the princess tell you this?”
  382. >No she didn’t. She didn’t tell you anything.
  383. >”Our hero slew the chaos god in Canterlot Castle, only to turn into something far worse.”
  384. >You look back to the stream, gingerly getting back to your feet.
  385.  
  386. >”I thought they would’ve told you.”
  387. “It doesn’t matter. Human or… whatever the fuck Discord was, he’s nothing more than a rabid dog. I’m just the vet who puts him down.”
  388. >She joins in your walk back to the camp.
  389. >”You had me worried back there you know. You almost sounded like Anonymous did.”
  390. >You freeze, Vinyl not noticing until you speak up.
  391. “What did you just say?”
  392. >”I said you had me worried-“
  393. “After that. Who did you say I sounded like?”
  394. >”Anon you’re scaring me.”
  395.  
  396. “Please. Just… tell me his name.”
  397. >It couldn’t be him. You were told he’d died.
  398. >Could it though? No, it’s not possible.
  399. >But neither were husks and black knights, and here they are.
  400. >”His name…”
  401. >You hold her and look her dead in the eye.
  402. >”Is Anonymous.”
  403. >You shiver, though not from the cold.
  404. >But from something worse.
  405.  
  406. >His voice was different. Aged maybe?
  407. >”Why’s his name so important?”
  408. >Corrupted more like it.
  409. “I knew this man… At least, I think I know him.”
  410. >Could he have really changed so much, so fast?
  411. >”You- really?”
  412. >He wouldn’t do this. He couldn’t.
  413. “Anonymous, Anon. We were always so close…”
  414. >Your eyes drift back to the burning castle lying on the mountain’s edge.
  415. “The man is my brother.”
  416. >The bastard who left you…